Emergency Management Frequently Asked Questions

What is an emergency? 

An emergency is a situation or impending situation that could result in serious harm to people or substantial damage to property, which is caused by: 

  • forces of nature
  • a disease or other health risk
  • an accident or 
  • an intentional act

Emergencies can be widespread and/or disastrous events that severely impact the municipality, requiring a coordinated response by a number of public, private, and non-profit agencies.  

Assistance may also be required from neighbouring municipalities or from Provincial or Federal levels of government.  These types of events can have a substantial impact to the municipality's physical, social, and financial well-being. 

When is a state of emergency declared?  

Emergency declarations can be made when the Head of Council, in consultation with the community's senior staff (known as the Community Control Group), determines that such action would be in the best interest of the municipality based on a perceived or apparent threat. 

A state of emergency declaration would be considered if there was a situation or impending situation that: 

  • Threatened public safety, public health, the environment, critical infrastructure, property, and/or economic stability. 
  • Exceeded the capacity of the community's emergency response. 

By declaring a state of emergency, the municipality is able to: 

  • Streamline its purchase/tender policies 
  • Extend Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage to volunteers 
  • Make claims for financial assistance for disaster recovery 

All laws must still be obeyed during emergency situations by both the public and the municipality. 

Declaring a state of emergency does not guarantee the municipality will receive financial assistance from the Provincial or Federal government for disaster relief.  Municipalities must apply for financial assistance to the Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance Program (MDRAP). 

Residents who have experienced a loss in the aftermath of a natural disaster that causes costly, widespread damage to eligible private property may apply to the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program.   

What emergency management training is available and where can I access it? 

The City of Greater Sudbury’s Emergency Management Office offers Emergency Preparedness presentations to groups and organizations. Additionally, if you are interested in learning more about Emergency Preparedness in your community, consider signing up for courses and training available through Emergency Management Ontario. To learn more, check out the Emergency Training and Presentations page.  

 

Are there tools available to assist me in planning for an emergency?

Yes, there are many tools available to assist in planning for an emergency. There are resources including Sudbury Alerts that notify you in an emergency situation, information on risks, and what to look out for. There are tools that teach you how to make an emergency plan, what an emergency kit is and resources for what to do after an emergency. To learn more, check out our Prepare for an Emergency Page.